Words & Photos by Dunky
Crew: Butty, Troll, TJ ,Dunky, PTD
Route: Bottom of the Zag, Buxton Road Tea room, Errwood descent, The Street, Pym Chair, Cock & Pheasant
Notes :
As the crew assembled, news was ‘no room at the inn’ as The Poachers were full, so unable to take the booking, a couple of failed booking attempts elsewhere and eventually a table was secured for five at the Cock & Pheasant.
Time was getting on and an ambitious plan was under threat as a message from Phil to meet at Walker Barn came through.
No time to waste, and a strict ‘keep moving, no time to chat’ policy saw us make good time to the tea room where we shelved the Errwood hall zig zag and shrine ascent plan, for a swifter ‘straight down to the car park’ fast jumpy downhill.
As we regrouped at the top of the zig zag, Butty arrived tentatively nursing one brake on his new shiny e-bike. His front brake wasn’t working at all, turns out a pivot had fallen though and lost a linkage (1/10 shimano).
Onwards and the climb up the street was marred with flying bugs trying to get in your ears and eyes and driving me mad, so much so I took to almost sprinting to keep the breeze going to keep them away (2nd fastest Strava time for me).
Every man for himself from Pym chair to the Cock as we arrive in the nick of time for our 8:45 booking.
The last two pies were bagged, Fishcakes were exquisite and generally good food reviews all round (better than expected after our last visit).
Neck oil on draft and a keen last orders meant we were on our way by 11, but not after a wide ranging agenda was covered including:
The current situation in Israel
Lack of science based medicine upto mid 1800s
Catholic church’s treatment of Galileo and Bacon
Sinead O’Connor
Transcontinental race
W&nkers who use the unethical closing of their bank account to further their public exposure.
And very little Ribaldry (who was the catalyst missing this week I wonder?)